Two sprint races prior to Sunday’s pursuits, gave their expected drama. The women all turned out very interesting and unpredictable, and men had their own surprise.

Unfortunately, for Ukraine in both races perspectives on the medal melted away at the last moment. OBOZREVATEL Italian Antholz tells about the most interesting moments of biathlon behind the scenes and new hot scandal named Alexander Loginov

News”not”: Russia is washed in the biathlon world Championships
The wind everywhere and ice track

Amendments were introduced by the specificity of the gorge, which is a shooting range in Antholz. Despite the Sunny weather and 3 degrees Celsius, the wind scurried among the mountains as he pleases and turn the scenario of the race at its discretion. Someone was lucky to shoot in conditions of relative calm, someone mountain daredevil gave a strong jet of air on the one hand, and a moment later – the other one flew back.

The biathlon stadium in Antholz

Photo By Alexander Slavinskogo

To do in such circumstances, adjustment of fire – a very risky business, at such moments, what matters is the experience of the shooter and the ability to adjust to gusts of wind. Plus night snow and day-zero temperature made the track ice, which gave headaches to the service technicians, and athletes only complicated the work.

The wearer selects the yellow bib

The biggest failure of the women’s sprint were six misses Tiril Ekhof. By the time “number 1” world Cup finished only 59th, not gaining any points. But Franziska with two penalties became the seventh and took the Norwegians yellow bib of the overall leader, which will be aired on the pursuit race in front of home audience.

Doro herself could not hide his pleasure at this fact. And even admitted that after receiving the silver in the mixed relay could not balance the emotions until late at night, so in the morning was a bit “dismantled” trying to put myself together.

Dorothea Wierer

Photo By Alexander Slavinskogo

March, Olsby Roseland: dreams come true

And here is another Norwegian March, Olsby Rosseland managed to carry out his main at the moment, the dream of becoming world champion. For this March, missed the stage in the French Annecy and temporarily out of my head for a “total” of the world Cup. This step has fully justified itself: in spite of one blunder, Alsby took the “gold” and confirmed the experts ‘ forecasts. For Norwegians this is the first individual award of the world Championships. “World Cup-2020” for the 29-year-old women started fabulously, because earlier March, won gold in the mixed relay.

Ousider in prizes

But the other two prizewinners have come from the number of outsiders. American Susan dunklee, who on the eve of the sprint was 34, was one of four participants in the race, which is in unstable wind managed to shoot clean in both shootings. While dunklee even showed the best time after the second shooting, however, to keep pace with the available result of Asbi failed – lost less than seven seconds, like three years ago at the world Cup in Hochfilzen, again taking the silver.

Well, bronze women’s sprint slipped out of Ukrainian hands after visiting them a few seconds. Experienced Olena Pidhrushna, with one penalty on the prone shooting and shoot clean the counter, raced to the finish line with all existing and missing forces, showing still the third result.

Heavy finish Olena Pidhrushna

Photo By Alexander Slavinskogo

However, right behind Pidhrushna fled towards the dream and former cross-country skier Lucius Charvatova, which still managed to beat Helen in four seconds. Shame, shame, but will not do anything. On this day the stars were in favor of the Czechs, never involved in the sprint in the top 15, and on Friday received his first award at the world Cup. And for 2013 world champion in this discipline – Olena Pidhrushna, all hopes are now directed to the race persecution.

Fatal mistake Pidruchna

But the men’s sprint was not just the twists of luck, and the revival of old conflicts associated with doping. But more on that later – first of our “trouble”.

Ukraine was again close to a medal – Dmitry Pidruchny beautifully shot lying down, having shown the third result in the first round. Shoot standing Ukrainian started almost half a minute advantage over the current leader, Fillon-maillet. Dmitry shot quickly and accurately… down to the last shot, which turned out to be “fatal”. The captain did not get, and departing from the line and hurtful tripped, falling to the snow.

The penalties along with a drop in Pidruchna took 35 seconds. In such hands, the chances of a medal evaporated. Moreover, at the final round of the Ukrainians has dropped significantly speed the progress of Dmitry on three miles lost to the leader 28,9 seconds, showing only the 33rd result. In the end, the achievements of the first half of the race allowed to stay in the top ten General lag in 56.4 seconds.

Dmitry acknowledges that too went all out on the first lap, so the final miles of the race was hell. A crucial role is played by the lack of oxygen in the highlands, which at high loads “knocks” not one athlete. To play almost a minute gap in the Sunday pursuit will not be easy, but it is well known as Dmitry likes contact races and knows how to overcome difficulties. Besides, a family that today has come to support men, should give him positive emotions, and all of us reason for optimism.

Showdown favorites

Speaking about the battle’s main rivals, reigning world Cup winner Johannes boe, having an early start number, tried immediately to pull away from competitors, but the highlands Antholz tripped and Norwegian.

Johannes boe (left) and Dominic Windish

Photo IBU

While two missed the world Cup by his current owner not very helpful, at least in the first individual race of the championship. With the one miss at the prone shooting jet Johannes lost the silver prize-winner of the Quentin Fillon-maillet, who also smeared one, 17 seconds. At the third round Be-Junior has shown only 15-e time.

The leader of “total” – the legendary Fourcade shot clean, but eventually lost 13 seconds to the first place while snatching 3 seconds, and with them the bronze medal in the senior BAA, who also completed the race without mistakes.

Factor Loginova, booed by the stands

Quentin could become the champion if not mentioned penalty, one “but”. Shoot clean, from behind the leaders jumped the man considered “the shadow candidate”. Russian Loginov, who throughout the season could not restore speed, miraculously managed to keep a high tempo, using the advantage of clean shooting. In the end the Fillon-maillet Loginov won 6.5 seconds.

Alexander Loginov

The success of the Russians, which in 2013 was disqualified for two years for the use of banned drug erythropoietin, did not remain without corresponding reaction of the public. Since then, Loginov topped the standings of the sprint to finish the race and during the flower ceremony from the stands of the “South Tyrol Arena” has silelsia condemning whistle Norwegian and French fans, as they in this championship, more than all, the whistle was quite loud.

For they do not like Loginova

The commentator on German TV channel “Eurosport” Siegfried Heiner, who 30 years says winter sports, in conversation at the media centre said: “the words can not be perceived only as negative. He never apologized after having been caught doping and promised I would never do that. And look, today he picked up speed despite the fact that during this season of lost during all of the leaders. Don’t you think it strange?”

Having won “gold” the world championship, Alexander Loginov has succumbed to harsh criticism right after the race

Photo Of Dmitry Yevenko

Negative attitude to the Russian did not hide Norwegian athletes, in particular tarjei boe, who after the race said that only Russia today has been in the media headlines about the fact that their team took Olympic bronze Sochi-2014 “the fact that they are all deceived “(samples Ustyugov and Sleptsova proved to use of doping). “But in the same day I get “bronze” because they recognize the victory of the athlete who took EPO. It is a pity that it (Loginova. – approx. ed.) cannot be excluded from the final protocols. He doesn’t deserve to stand on the podium,” says BAA.

Traditionally continued to boycott the Russian, the Swede Samuelsson, who says he never served to hand: “it is Impossible to use EPO, and then to come and win.”

“Cold war” at a press conference

At the official press conference after the race Martin Fourcade asked about his communication with Loginov. The Frenchman responded diplomatically: “Loginov does not communicate in English, which is not conducive to communication.” The distance between the two athletes on the podium were not so great, but their grimaces and detachment as if has revived the cold war era.

Expression Alexander Loginov at the press conference speaks volumes

Photo By Alexander Slavinskogo

Alexander Loginov and Martin Fourcade

Photo By Alexander Slavinskogo

Himself a Russian biathlete, which, recall, last year married a Ukrainian biathlete’s Krucevo, continues to play a familiar game – the quiet game. He does not communicate even with the Russian media, not to mention the foreign media. In response to the criticism, joking that he is not the President, to convene a press conference to make a statement, refuting the charges.

On the question of the Russian journalist asked at a press conference why the biathlon community should believe him and how many doping tests he underwent to prove her purity, Loginov decided to show a questionable sense of humor: “you can’t tell, but pieces 12-16 passed. Regarding trust, we finally got my wife to expand the living area, so will happily take any athlete at home. At least 366 days a year (Loginov called that is the figure, apparently referring to leap-year. – approx. ed.) almost on a nearby bed. Not one, because the wife will not understand.”

What to do Loginov?

These jokes logins is unlikely to change the attitude, because the attempt to translate the question into the plane of Soviet jokes produces the same thing that happened to the Communist leaders during the communication with the Western opponents – only party leaders seemed witty, in their opinion, a joke, distracting attention from the problem. Actually, the problem is, its relevance is only temporarily abated, while logins have disappeared from the top trios in the minutes of racing.

Alexander Loginov

Cost him on the podium as the outrage erupted with renewed force. And there is nothing surprising. If the 10th place of the Russians can put up, the fact of presenting him the award of top athletes consider it stealing, because we are convinced that Russian is not a pure athlete, and thus dishonestly takes to achieve them.

In order to change the attitude, Loginov should not throw unrealistic offers to share bed with any other contestant. Instead, you should learn how to communicate with other athletes. Alexander always silent and not communicate with anyone from foreign colleagues. This behavior is not conducive to the establishment of relationships – it seems like logins hiding something. About this said it would be worthwhile to refer to the biathlon community apology and a promise not to use doping.

The totalitarian system destroys freedom of speech

Why Russian does not? May considers it beneath his dignity, maybe shy, maybe doesn’t want to give promises he can’t keep? Russian media say that usernames do not want to expose those who in his youth gave him the dope, as I need to go home. And there he was for such recognition “rot”. Perhaps the essence of the problem – the existence in Russia of the totalitarian system, which leaves the individual right to freedom of expression.

Probably Loginov easier to live with as their reputation, accusations and rejection in the biathlon world, considering that the championship medal which he will bring to Russia will provide a peaceful stay at home, and the condemnation of world public opinion, he will somehow survive. This option is unlikely would have chosen people from a free country, but it seems that for Loginova another option would be emigration from the homeland.

Alexander Glyvynskyy, especially for OBOZREVATEL. The material was prepared with the assistance of the brand PariMatch

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